Baby Sign Language Ideas for Summer 2023
updated May 28, 2023
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Summer ignites excitement for many: days spent at the pool, family vacations, adventures, and making memories. Our little ones are eager to explore summer favorites whether it’s at the beach, splashing in the water table, visiting the aquarium, or having juicy watermelon.
These fun-filled experiences provide many learning opportunities for our littles, and sign language is a wonderful way to help your child communicate about this exciting time of year even more, as their spoken language continues to develop. Use these baby sign language ideas this summer!
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Benefits to using sign language with your baby during play
Oftentimes, the focus on using sign language with babies and toddlers for early communication is focused on routines: feedings, meals, bedtime, etc. However, using sign language during PLAY has many benefits that are also very important!
Using sign language while playing with your baby or toddler is beneficial for many reasons:
Meaningful connections are made within your child’s brain.
There are multiple opportunities for repetition of signs, words, and phrases.
Language learning is extended.
Two-way communication organically occurs.
Joint attention between child and caregiver.
Creates bonding and positive interactions.
Want to use sign language with your little one?
Sign Through the Seasons: All Year is a curated collection of ASL seasonal signs, books, and activities for you and your little one to enjoy throughout the year. With age appropriate seasonal themes in addition to all of the tools and resources you need, you’ll be sure to spend every season creating memories together. Learn more about this seasonal e-course here.
Get Started Now with 10 functional ASL signs to start using with your baby or toddler right away. Learn 3 tips to ensure you are using signs correctly and with realistic expectations. Whether you have already started signing, or just warming up to the idea, this free guide will take you one step closer to your goal!
Check out my online resources for parents! Browse my current offerings.
Baby ASL for the Summer
WATER: can be used while swimming in the pool, playing at the water table, feeling the waves at the beach, and visiting ocean animals at the aquarium.
SAND: use this sign as you incorporate it in your sensory play, create textured craft projects, or visit the beach.
FISH: whether it is a toy fish, or spotting a real one - your little one will love this sign!
Summer book recommendations for babies & toddlers
Reading books about this season will help extend your child’s learning and experiences. Incorporate the signs you know as you read together.
Baby Loves Summer is a fantastic book for babies and the 1+ year olds. This lift-a-flap style book uncovers many summer related items, including flip-flops, sun hat, and beach towel.
Mouse’s First Summer has Mouse and Minka, loved by babies and toddlers alike. It takes place around a summer picnic, including watermelon and rolling down the grassy hill.
Sun, Sun: The Joy of a Summer Day at the Beach is perfect for children ages 2-6. This rhyming story entails everything at the beach: chilly water, sandcastles, kites, and more. The conversations that can be spurred by this book are endless!
When to use sign language during the summer
There are many fun outings, experiences, and activities to do this summer. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
If traveling to the beach, collect some shells while you’re there! (or just buy some from Amazon or the store) Glue them on paper to make a collage, put them in a sensory bin with some sand, and press into playdough to make imprints!
Freeze some fish toy figures (such as these) in an ice cube tray. Using warm water and some salt, free them! You can use cups and bowls to scoop and pour, or even squirt bottles to incorporate more fine motor skills for older children.
Ice play is a lot of fun, too! Put some in a bin or your water table along with some spoons, mixing spoons, cups, and bowls. Get funky with using food coloring for the ice if you want for some bonus color mixing as the ice melts. It’s perfect for a hot summer day!
